Sakuu (formerly known as KeraCel Inc.), an automated multi-process additive manufacturing (AM) company from San Jose, California, recently announced the launch of a revolutionary new industrial-grade 3D printer for electric vehicle batteries. According to Sakuu, this breakthrough technology will open the mainstream adoption of electric vehicles and electric vehicles by solving the cost, performance, sustainability, and cruising range issues of previous battery manufacturing.
© ALDECA studio
Increase energy density
Solve performance and cost issues
According to Sakuu, their batteries3D printingTechnology provides industrial-scale “local” battery production capacity, and by increasing the confidence of manufacturers and consumers, it may significantly accelerate the use of electric vehicles. The new multi-material, multi-process additive manufacturing platform solves performance and cost issues. According to Sakuu, the material used is reduced by 50%, providing up to twice the energy capacity in the same space or the same energy in half of the space . And can achieve on-demand, localized production, which helps promote more efficient manufacturing operations and a shorter supply chain.
With the support of Musashi Seimitsu, Japan’s leading auto parts supplier, Sakuu will realize the rapid and mass production of 3D printed solid-state batteries (SSB). Compared with lithium-ion batteries, they have the same capacity but halved the size and are almost three times lighter. One part.
© SAKUU
Sakuu’s “KeraCel™” brand SSB battery uses about 30%-50% of the material (available locally) to achieve the same energy level as the lithium-ion option, thereby significantly reducing production costs. In addition, Sakuu’s SSB will provide higher safety and sustainability advantages. This manufacturing milestone is achieved by a multi-material, multi-process 3D printer-the Sakuu AM platform-which is completely designed and developed by Sakuu. Due to the ability to build complex functional devices at industrial speeds, Sakuu expects that the properties of this 3D printer can be easily transferred to different applications in other industries.
Multi-material, multi-process
The breakthrough of Sakuu’s new solution is its multiple AM additive manufacturing technology. Mix the powder bed and spray material deposition together and use completely different multi-materials in a single layer function. The process combines ceramics and metals, as well as Sakuu’s proprietary support material PoraLyte™, which eliminates part drape limitations and makes it easier and faster to create devices with internal channels and cavities.
This solution eliminates the inherent shortcomings of existing alternatives—previously it was usually low energy density SSB, which was not suitable for mass production, and was characterized by thick and brittle ceramic layers and poor interfaces. On the contrary, Sakuu’s AM platform provides a higher energy density SSB with a thin monolithic layer and a perfect interface.
In addition, to ensure easier recycling of ceramics and metals through traditional methods, KeraCel™ SSB scores higher in terms of resource sustainability. No need to extract graphite and no polymer means no need for incineration or landfill in landfills. Sakuu will initially focus on the two-wheel, three-wheel and smaller four-wheel electric vehicle market. The company’s SSB battery provides the market with a clear and ideal combination of small size, low weight and higher capacity advantages. The agility of Sakuu’s additive manufacturing process also means that customers can easily switch production to different battery types and sizes as needed, such as double the energy in the same space or the same energy in half of the space.
Unlimited application potential beyond SSB
In addition to energy, Sakuu’s AM platform opens up application possibilities in many other fields, including aerospace and automotive, consumer electronics, Internet of Things, and medical. Not only for battery manufacturing, the single-layer multi-material printing capability developed by Sakuu opens up the market for complex terminal equipment that was previously closed to the current 3D printing platform. Application areas include active components such as sensors and motors for aerospace and automobiles; mobile power supplies and radiators for consumer electronics; PH, temperature and pressure sensors in the Internet of Things; and pathogen detectors and microcomputers for medical treatment Fluid equipment.
As a cheaper, faster, localized, customizable and more sustainable SSB battery production method, the Sakuu additive manufacturing platform provides huge opportunities for users in the energy sector.
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